Apparatus for continuous vertical casting

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for continuous vertical casting which includes extenders for adapting a casting frame for use with molds of different format including a member extending crosswise between the frame and mold to support the mold on the frame and to guide coolant liquid from the frame onto the outer walls of the mold.

United States Patent Inventors Serge Peyraud;

Jean Frclche, both of lssoire, France Appl. No. 739,032

Filed June 21, 1968 Patented Aug. 3, 1971 Assignee Cqedur GP Park, France Priority June 29, 1967 France APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS VERTICAL CASTING 3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

Int. Cl. 322d 11/12 Field olSearch 164/283, 89. 273

Primary Examiner-J. Spencer Overholser Assistant Examiner-V. K. Rising Attorney-McDougall, Hersh, Scott and Ladd ABSTRACT: An apparatus for continuous vertical casting which includes extenders for adapting a casting frame for use with molds of different format including a member extending crosswise between the frame and mold to support the mold on the frame and to guide coolant liquid from the frame onto the outer walls of the mold.

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APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS VERTICAL CASTING This invention relates to apparatus having universal use in continuous vertical casting. It is known that slabs or billets can be made by vertically casting a molten material, such as a metal or alloy, into a mold with vertical generatrices having an internal cavity defining the product to be cast. The mold is cooled to enable the material to harden. As a general rule, cooling is obtained by allowing a liquid, such as water, to trickle down over the outer wall of the mold. For this purpose, the mold is surrounded at its upper end by a chamber, known as a casting frame, provided with openings through which the cooling liquid flows. The mold is usually supported by the upper part of the casting frame, as by means of a flange machined in a manner to insure that the mold remains centered within the frame. The distance between the inner wall of the casting frame and the outer wall of the mold is governed by the pressure of the cooling liquid so as to obtain effective cooling.

A disadvantage of this arrangement is that the dimensions of the mold can be varied only within narrow limits if it is desired to maintain a proper sprinkling action. Accordingly, a separate casting frame has to be used for each mold having different format of product to be cast.

it is an object of this invention to provide a universal apparatus for continuous vertical casting by means of which products varying in format can be obtained with a single casting frame.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevational view through a portion of a universal apparatus for continuous casting embodying the features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line a-a of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a modification in the apparatus for installing a short mold in an elongate casting frame;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG 3', FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a further modification adapting the apparatus for use with a narrow mold in a wide casting frame;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a still further modification for adapting a short, narrow mold in a wide and long casting frame; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line bb of FIG 6. The apparatus embodying the features of this invention comprises a casting frame and a mold of conventional construction between which is arranged at least one water sheet extender in which each extender is formed with an upper portion in the form of a mold support having at least one of its side edges resting on the casting frame and a fourth side edge providing a support for the mold and in which the extender includes a lower portion in the form of a deflector for lateral transport of the cooling water from the casting frame to the mold walls.

In a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of this invention, the deflector has at least one of the following features, namely;

adjacent the casting frame, it has a channelled band which stabilizes the flow of water in the transverse direction and prevents the sheet of water from drifting to one side;

adjacent the mold, it has a smooth band enabling the sheet of water to be spread out;

adjacent the mold it terminates in a draft edge which operates to prevent the accumulation of water on the deflector and which enables asheet of water-to be formed for cooling the mold.

Referring now to the drawings. h universal apparatus of this invention comprises a casting frame 1, a mold 2, a water sheet extender dimensioned to extend across the space between the outer periphery of the mold and the casting frame and having an upper portion 3 in the form of a mold support and a lower portion 4 in the form of a deflector with a space between the upper and lower portions to provide a channel through which the cooling liquid, such as water, is transported from the casting frame to the mold.

The casting frame is of conventional design. It is provided with openings 11 on a horizontal axis.

The mold 2 has an inner wall of any desirable section, the generatrices of which are substantially parallel to a vertical axis 21. The mold 2 is also formed with an outwardly extending horizontally disposed flange 23 which, in a conventional arrangement, is adapted to rest upon the upper surface of the frame 1.

At the outer end of the mold support 3, adjacent the casting frame 1, the mold support is provided with a horizontally disposed flange 32 adapted to rest on the upper surface of the frame and, at the other end, adjacent the mold, the mold support is provided with a horizontally disposed groove 31 adapted to receive the flange 23 of the mold.

The deflector portion 4 is fixed in spaced relation beneath the support 3 by bolts 45 and studs 44 in between. A channel section is thus provided between the deflector portion 4 and the mold support 3 into which cooling liquid flows from the openings 11 in frame 1. The cooling liquid flows horizontally across the channel in the direction of the arrow 10 for release adjacent the outer wall of the mold to enable the cooling liquid to trickle down the outer wall 22 of the mold.

it is advantageous to provide the portion of the deflector adjacent the casting frame with channelling members 41 on the upper surface to stabilize the flow of water in the transverse direction and to prevent the sheet of water from drifting to one side. Adjacent the mold 2, the deflector is formed with a smooth horizontally disposed ledge 43 in its upper surface to enable the sheet of liquid to spread out and the ledge terminates preferably in a draft edge 42 to prevent accumulation of liquid on the deflector and to enable a sheet of liquid to be formed for transfer to the outer wall 22 of the mold to cool the mold.

F163. 3 and 4 illustrate the manner in which a short mold 2 can be installed in a casting frame I originally designed for a longer mold. For this purpose, an extender 3, 4 of rectangular shape is arranged on either side of the small side of the mold with three horizontally disposed edge flanges 32 resting on the upper face of the casting frame 1 while its groove 31 receives the flange 23 of the mold.

Similarly, a narrow mold 5 may be adapted to be installed in a casting frame 1 designed for a wider mold, as shown in FIG. 5, For this purpose, an extender is provided on either side of the ledge face of the mold in which the mold support 30 comprises three horizontally disposed edge flanges 302 resting on the upper face of the casting frame 1 and a groove 301 which receives the flange 23 of the mold.

It is also possible, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, to install a mold in a casting frame 1 which is designed to receive a mold of longer and wider dimension.

To start with, a first empty space corresponding to the width of the mold is created by providing along the long faces of the casting frame 1 long extenders 3040 having horizontally disposed edge flanges 302 resting on the upper face of the casting frame, The length of this first space is then reduced to a length corresponding to that of the mold by arranging along the narrow side of the empty space short extenders 3-4 hav' ing flanges 32 resting on the upper face of the casting frame 1 for one side of the extender and in grooves 301 in the extenders 30 -40 for the two other sides of the extender. The flange 23 of the mold rests on that portion of the grooves 301 which remain unoccupied by the extenders 34 and in the grooves 31 of the extenders 3.

In the extenders 30-40, the cooling liquid, generally water, flows in the direction of the arrow and, in the extender 3-4, it flows perpendicularly of the figure. It is almost possible to extend extenders 3--4 as wide as the casting frame 1 and extenders 30-40 as long as the mold--this would merely result in a change in the dimensions of the rectangularly shaped extenders.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that we have provided a simple and effective means for adapting molds of different dimensions and format for use with a single casting frame thereby to provide a universal arrangement for continuous vertical casting in a single frame.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the details of construction, arrangement and operation without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for continuous casting which enables products of different format and dimension to be cast without change in the casting frame comprising a mold having outer and inner walls defining a vertically disposed cavity therein, a casting frame surrounding the mold with a spaced relationship between the frame and mold and having openings in a wall of the casting frame for the passage of cooling liquid therethrough, at least one water sheet extender across the space between the mold and casting frame including an upper portion having at least one side resting on the casting frame and another side adapted operatively to be engaged by the mold to support the mold from the casting frame and a lower portion in the form of a deflector spaced from the upper portion to define a channel therebetween which communicates with the openings through the casting frame and operates to carry the cooling liquid from the casting frame and to deflect the liquid onto the outer walls of the mold, and in which when the mold is of short dimension by comparison with the frame, the extender comprises a rectangularly shaped flat member in which the upper portion is formed with three side edge por tions with horizontally disposed flanges adapted to rest upon the upper face of the casting frame and a horizontally disposed groove on a fourth edge portion for receiving a flange extending laterally from the mold, said extender being disposed on either side of the small sides of the mold.

2. An apparatus for continuous casting which enables products of different format and dimension to be cast without change in the casting frame comprising a mold having outer and inner walls defining a vertically disposed cavity therein, a casting frame surrounding the mold with a spaced relationship between the frame and mold and having openings in a wall of the casting frame for the passage of cooling liquid therethrough, at least one water sheet extender across the space between the mold and casting frame including an upper portion having at least one side resting on the casting frame and another side adapted operatively to be engaged by the mold to support the mold from the casting frame and a lower portion in the form of a deflector spaced from the upper portion to define a channel therebetween which communicates with the openings through the casting frame and operates to carry the cooling liquid from the casting frame and to deflect the liquid onto the outer walls of the mold, and in which when the mold is narrow by comparison with the casting frame, the upper portion of the extender has three horizontally disposed side edge flanges adapted to rest on the upper surface of the casting frame and a horizontally disposed groove in the other edge adapted to receive a flange extending laterally from the mold, with the extender disposed on either side of the large face of the mold.

3. An apparatus for continuous casting which enables products of different format and dimension to be cast without change in the casting frame comprising a mold having outer and inner walls defining a vertically disposed cavity therein, a casting frame surrounding the mold with a spaced relationship between the frame and mold and having openings in a wall of the casting frame for the passage of cooling liquid therethrough, at least one water sheet extender across the space between the mold and casting frame including an upper portion having at least one side resting on the casting frame and another side adapted operatively to be engaged b the mold to support the mold from the casting frame and a ower portion in the form of a deflector spaced from the upper portion to define a channel therebetween which communicates with the openings through the casting frame and operates to carry the cooling liquid from the casting frame and to deflect the liquid onto the outer walls of the mold, and comprising a mold installed in a casting frame designed to accommodate a mold of longer and wider dimension which includes long extenders, in the upper portion of each of which are three horizontally disposed flanges adapted to rest on the face of the casting frame but dimensioned to leave a first empty space between the mold and the frame which is as wide as the mold and which includes a horizontally disposed groove on the other free edge of each of the extenders, a pair of short exten ders, each of which has three horizontally disposed edge flanges one of which rests on the upper edge of the casting frame while the other two rest in the grooves of the long extenders, said short extenders having a groove in the edge adjacent the mold, the mold having a horizontally disposed flange about its periphery which rests in the grooves of the short cxtenders and in that portion of the groove of the long extenders unoccupied by the short extenders. 

1. An apparatus for continuous casting which enables products of different format and dimension to be cast without change in the casting frame comprising a mold having outer and inner walls defining a vertically disposed cavity therein, a casting frame surrounding the mold with a spaced relationship between the frame and mold and having openings in a wall of the casting frame for the passage of cooling liquid therethrough, at least one water sheet extender across the space between the mold and casting frame including an upper portion having at least one side resting on the casting frame and another side adapted operatively to be engaged by the mold to support the mold from the casting frame and a lower portion in the form of a deflector spaced from the upper portion to define a channel therebetween which communicates with the openings through the casting frame and operates to carry the cooling liquid from the casting frame and to deflect the liquid onto the outer walls of the mold, and in which when the mold is of short dimension by comparison with the frame, the extender comprises a rectangularly shaped flat member in which the upper portion is formed with three side edge portions with horizontally disposed flanges adapted to rest upon the upper face of the casting frame and a horizontally disposed groove on a fourth edge portion for receiving a flange extending laterally from the mold, said extender being disposed on either side of the small sides of the mold.
 2. An apparatus for continuous casting which enables products of different format and dimension to be cast without change in the casting frame comprising a mold having outer and inner walls defining a vertically disposed cavity therein, a casting frame surrounding the mold with a spaced relationship between the frame and mold and having openings in a wall of the casting frame for the passage of cooling liquid therethrough, at least one water sheet extender across the space between the mold and casting frame including an upper portion having at least one side resting on the casting frame and another side adapted operatively to be engaged by the mold to support the mold from the casting frame and a lower portion in the form of a deflector spaced from the upper portion to define a channel therebetween which communicates with the openings through the casting frame and operates to carry the cooling liquid fRom the casting frame and to deflect the liquid onto the outer walls of the mold, and in which when the mold is narrow by comparison with the casting frame, the upper portion of the extender has three horizontally disposed side edge flanges adapted to rest on the upper surface of the casting frame and a horizontally disposed groove in the other edge adapted to receive a flange extending laterally from the mold, with the extender disposed on either side of the large face of the mold.
 3. An apparatus for continuous casting which enables products of different format and dimension to be cast without change in the casting frame comprising a mold having outer and inner walls defining a vertically disposed cavity therein, a casting frame surrounding the mold with a spaced relationship between the frame and mold and having openings in a wall of the casting frame for the passage of cooling liquid therethrough, at least one water sheet extender across the space between the mold and casting frame including an upper portion having at least one side resting on the casting frame and another side adapted operatively to be engaged by the mold to support the mold from the casting frame and a lower portion in the form of a deflector spaced from the upper portion to define a channel therebetween which communicates with the openings through the casting frame and operates to carry the cooling liquid from the casting frame and to deflect the liquid onto the outer walls of the mold, and comprising a mold installed in a casting frame designed to accommodate a mold of longer and wider dimension which includes long extenders, in the upper portion of each of which are three horizontally disposed flanges adapted to rest on the face of the casting frame but dimensioned to leave a first empty space between the mold and the frame which is as wide as the mold and which includes a horizontally disposed groove on the other free edge of each of the extenders, a pair of short extenders, each of which has three horizontally disposed edge flanges one of which rests on the upper edge of the casting frame while the other two rest in the grooves of the long extenders, said short extenders having a groove in the edge adjacent the mold, the mold having a horizontally disposed flange about its periphery which rests in the grooves of the short extenders and in that portion of the groove of the long extenders unoccupied by the short extenders. 